


When Words Aren't Enough

by blanchtt



Series: Minific Prompts [4]
Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-15
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-08-08 22:58:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7777012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blanchtt/pseuds/blanchtt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cosima’s definitely going to be late meeting Alison for their study session, but really, how could she let that woman wander around without speaking a word of English?</p>
            </blockquote>





	When Words Aren't Enough

**Author's Note:**

> Cophine + J [When (English) words aren’t enough]

 

 

 

Cosima’s definitely going to be late meeting Alison for their study session, but really, how could she let that woman wander around without speaking a word of English? Cosima had popped out of The Plant Cafe Organic after a great brunch and, damn her bleeding heart, there she was, clearly lost. 

She’s not a look-the-other-way type of girl, and so of course she’d gone up, waved, and asked if the woman needed help. What she got back she understood even with only one year of French back in high school.

“ _Les phoques?_ ”

Cosima grins. Living in San Francisco, she’s learned pretty much every word for ‘sea lion’ there is. “Got it,” she replies with a nod and another smile, amused to see the blonde woman mirror her actions, relief visible at being understood. “You want to see the colony.” She points down the street, unfortunately unable to translate the directions into French - that’s a little out of her league. In any case, the woman’s not far off in the grand scheme of things, but it’s more than several piers over. Easy to find, but a walk, definitely. “It’s, uh, straight ahead.” Cosima motions with her hand straight down the sidewalk, watching to see if the woman understands. “Just keep going and you’ll hit ‘em.”

Big eyes stare at her in polite confusion, the kind of look she’s seen on Sarah’s face whenever she starts geeking out, and it’s clear the woman doesn’t understand. “ _Les phoques?_ ” the woman repeats hopefully, still smiling. “ _Comment ça s’appelle_ … Fisherman’s Wharf?” She glances at the map in her hand and says it with a heavy accent, more than a little uncertainly as she reaches up to run a hand through blonde curls, and Cosima tries hopelessly to still the flutter of butterflies she feels bloom in her chest. “ _Est-ce que c'est loin d’ici?_ “

 _Okay. Pay attention, Cosima! None of that got through._ Cosima bite her lip, thinks, and points again. “ _Les phoques_ ,” she says, and waves after herself as she starts walking. She’s willing to take her there if the woman is willing to walk with her. She can detour for this and still meet Alison on time. Mostly. Probably. And the woman must be well and truly lost because she falls into step with her, map tucked into her own purse, and Cosima grins as they make their way down the street to the sea lion colony. She points to herself, dredging up the few words of French she remembers. “ _Je m’apelle_  Cosima.” 

“ _Vous parlez Francais?_ ” the woman asks excitedly, but Cosima shakes her head emphatically, feels the ends of her dreds slap against her cheeks as they walk past the fancy restaurants that ring the edge of the water and slip through the crowds of tourists on the sidewalk. 

“Hah. No.  _Petit_ ,” she says, holding her thumb and forefinger close together, and smiles as Delphine laughs, light and clear. ‘Rusty’ would be an understatement and it’s probably not even grammatically correct, but at least it gets the point across. 

The woman stops walking and Cosima follows suit, turning to face her as the woman holds out her hand. “ _Enchantée, Cosima. Je m’apelle Delphine_ ,” she offers, and Cosima reaches out, shakes a hand that clasps hers warm and light. 

“Delphine,” Cosima repeats, though it’s nowhere near as smooth as the way Delphine says it. She lets go of Delphine’s hand and draws her jacket tighter around herself to give her hands something to do. “It’s  _très belle_ ,” she adds before she fully realizes what she’s saying. “Your name.”

There’s definitely a moment of panic where Cosima realizes that that might be a little too forward for someone she met not ten minutes ago, but Delphine says after a moment, “ _T’es très charmante, tu le sais?_ ” and whatever it is is accompanied by a wry smile, and so Cosima grins back. It’s only when someone in the crowd around them knocks into her purse and nearly sends her tumbling that she realizes they’re still standing in the middle of the sidewalk with her staring like a fool, and Cosima shakes her head, motions down the street once again.

“Well,  _enchantée_  right back at you. Now let’s get you to those  _phoques_ , Delphine.”

They begin walking again and whatever it is that Cosima’s done, she’s glad she did it. As they walk in silence, stopping briefly at a crosswalk to wait for the little sign to turn white, she looks sideways and sees Delphine appearing to think hard, brows furrowed, before speaking in heavily-accented English.

“I’m here on vacation,” Delphine explains, and answers the other question Cosima’s had at the back of her mind. “ _Pour visiter Danielle_.” 

Cosima nods. “Cool, cool.” It’s nice to know Delphine’s got someone here and hasn’t, like, gotten separated from a group that’s going to fly back to France without her. She waves a hand in the air, grasping for the right words. “How long …  _temps à San Francisco?_ ” 

“As long as I want,” Delphine says uncertainly, looking at her as if to ask in disbelief,  _Do they not have vacation in America_ , and Cosima whistles softly.

“Wow. Must be nice.”

When they finally reach the pier with the sea lions - after conversation that moves more smoothly with practice, and in which Cosima learns that Danielle is occupied the rest of the day and that’s why Delphine’s decided to explore on her own - Cosima slows down. Does she just… leave? What’s the proper protocol for this? Obviously Delphine can get back to her hotel alright if she’s gotten this far in the states without her, but some ridiculous part of Cosima wants to  _know_  that Delphine’s stay will turn out just fine, not just hope.

They make their way off the sidewalk, turn right and into the crowd that’s making their way down the concrete boardwalk, though they don’t get far before Cosima reaches out, touching Delphine’s shoulder as she stops. “Hey, Delphine?” Cosima asks as Delphine turns to look at her. “You, uh - you gonna be okay? Like, alone?”

“ _Oui_ , thank you, Cosima.” And that’s that, right? There are probably more than a few missed texts from Alison that she should address as soon as possible, especially if she doesn’t want Alison’s what-have-I-told-you-about-talking-to-strangers lecture. Delphine pauses, bites her lower lip, and Cosima’s just about ready to hold out her hand for another shake, a ‘nice to meet you’ and ‘goodbye.’ But Delphine tugs at the strap of her purse nervously and asks, “ _Est-ce que tu veux me joindre?_ ”

The words take a heartbeat to sink in, and there are the butterflies back again in full force. Cosima hasn’t done the tourist thing since she was twelve but it’s not an unappealing idea, especially given the company. “Yeah,” Cosima breathes out, watches as Delphine understands and smiles at her, radiant. “Yeah, I’d like to join you.”

They make their way down to the end of the pier, and the sea lions are barking up a storm and around them people are talking and taking pictures and selfies and videos. But all Cosima can focus on is the way Delphine takes her hand and squeezes through the crowd, gets them to the front with minimal bodychecks and toes stepped on, and doesn’t let go as they settle side-by-side against the railing.

 

 

 


End file.
